“How does Ruthie take hers?”
Kyle smiled. “She doesn’t need any help being awake.”
Mitch chuckled. “Be right back.”
Mitch got Kyle’s coffee and took it to him. “How’s the princess this morning?"
“Hungry,” Kyle said. He yawned, then shifted Ruthie, but there was no way to free one of his hands.
“You want me to take her?” Mitch asked. He sipped his coffee. “I’m sweaty, but she probably won’t care.”
Kyle shook his head. “It’s okay, she’s almost done with breakfast. Go shower or do whatever you usually do.”
“All right.” He hesitated by the door. “Are you good with me talking to Lucinda about your book today?”
A little smile broke through the sleepiness on Kyle’s face. “Yeah. Nervous. But good. Thanks.”
“Okay. It’s first on my agenda.” Mitch went inside, drinking a little more of his coffee.
Joyce was turning on the kitchen lights. “Morning.”
“Good morning. Thanks again for that dinner last night. You and Beryl make quite a team.”
“Thank you.” Joyce glanced at him. “You had a good night then?”
“I did. We all did.” He hesitated. He had the strangest feeling she already knew what had happened, but the moment was right and he wanted her input. “I need some advice.”
Joyce poured herself a cup of coffee. “Happy to help, if I can.”
He glanced toward the deck. Kyle was still occupied with Ruthie. “I did something last night I shouldn’t have, and I probably offended Harper. As a woman, what do you think is the best way to make things right?”
She’d been about to open a cabinet. Instead, she turned to look at him.Reallylook at him. “Did this something happen on the walk you two took?”
“Yes.”
“You snogged her, didn’t you?”
“Snog—oh, right. Um, yes.” He puffed out his cheeks as he exhaled. Admitting what he’d done was harder than he’d expected. He felt like a teenager confessing to his mom.
Joyce sipped her coffee, eyes narrowed. “And you think a kiss offended Harper?”
“I do.”
“Why? Was it against her will? Did you force yourself on her?”
He frowned. “No, nothing like. It’s just, I shouldn’t have done it. We work together. It wasn’t very professional.”
“What did she do after you kissed her?”
“She, uh…she kissed me back.”
Joyce rolled her lips in like she was trying not to smile. “Oh, my days. And you think she was offended?”
“Well…yes.” He went behind her to refill his coffee so he’d have a full cup while he was getting ready.
She nodded. “Explains a lot about all that weirdness when you two got back. You need to talk to her.”
Had they been weird? He hadn’t thought so. “I plan to.”
